Sister Bernadette followed Sister Julienne out of the cold December evening and into the home of their latest expectant mother. The flat was clean and well decorated, nicer than most she had been in so far on this block. The husband pointed out that his wife was upstairs with a neighbor helping her before leaving. Bernadette assumed he was off to the local pub, as many men in Poplar seemed to do that during their wife's labor. The nuns quickly made their way upstairs.
"My dear Rhoda, it is lovely to see a first child come exactly on time. Now let me examine you to see how far along you are." Sister Julienne said everything with a serene look on her face at the young mother before her. The neighbor quickly made her excuses and left, leaving the two nuns with the young mother. Sister Julienne examined Rhoda, first palpating her stomach then doing an internal examination. She then announced that Rhoda was not dilated much and still had a while to go before the baby would be born. However since no family was around to watch her labor progress they would stay with her through it all.
"Rhoda, this is Sister Bernadette. She is new to us at Nonnatus House and is still learning the ins and outs of Poplar. She is going to take the lead this evening and you will have my hand during your labor." Sister Julienne said in her calm tone. It was then that Sister Bernadette stepped more fully into the room and set down her bag.
"Now Mrs. Mullucks, where is your delivery box? We must prepare the bed so your mattress will survive a while longer." The small nun said with a surprisingly strong Scottish accent. Rhoda pointed at once to the brown box in the corner of the room, tucked beside the wardrobe. The nuns worked together to prepare the bed and give the enema. It wasn't until after another contraction that Sister Bernadette palpated Rhoda's stomach and due to their closeness Rhoda realized how young the nun was. Her face was pale and smooth, not wrinkled or weathered, and her eyes were a bright blue behind the thick round glasses. Only young people have eyes that bright and sparkling, she thought to herself. Everything about the nun was small, including her hands which were now firmly on Rhoda's large round stomach. Rhoda thought the nun before her must only be a few years older than she was. Not at all like any of the other nuns that Rhoda had met in Poplar. Nervousness at the realization that she had such a young midwife was soon gone when the soft Scottish voice said "I know I look younger than I am, do not worry you are not my first delivery. I have been through nursing school and completed my midwife training, top of my class. I was working at the London for a year but deciding to take up religious vows simply led me to a new location." Rhoda smiled at the nun who seemed to have read her mind.
The three women talked of Poplar over tea as they waited for several hours, contractions interrupting at increasing frequency. In the early morning hours, Sister Bernadette caught the new baby girl while Sister Julienne held Rhoda's hand firmly. The little girl cried immediately and she was passed to her mother after the cord was cut. In short order the placenta was also delivered and the nuns said their typical prayers of thanks. Sister Julienne busied herself in cleaning the room while Sister Bernadette was doing the proper checks for both baby and mother. Rhoda could not stop smiling at the gorgeous dark haired little girl in her arms. She wasted no time in telling both nuns that her baby would be called Belinda Louise, a unique name for her unique little girl. Sister Julienne brought up one last tray of tea before announcing that everything was as it should be and that they would be off. The nuns both smiled and congratulated her before leaving with the promise that Sister Bernadette would be back in a few short hours.
Two years later on a snowy January night Sister Bernadette arrived once again to the nice little flat inhabited by the Mullucks family. She let herself in, knowing Bernie had probably left for the pub already and hoping that two-year-old Belinda was with a neighbor or family member.
"Oh Sister, am I glad to see you." Rhoda commented as the nun walked into the bedroom. Rhoda was pacing at the foot of the bed smoking a cigarette with one hand while the other pressed into her sore lower back.
"Good Evening Rhoda. How are you feeling?" Sister Bernadette said while setting down her bag.
"Fine enough. Pains have been coming and going since yesterday evening but they're stronger now, terrible even. That's why I had Bernie call for you." Rhoda commented before putting out her cigarette and heading to the bed, knowing that she would need to be checked. Sister Bernadette made quick work of palpating the stomach and doing an internal exam.
"Only dilated three centimeters. It could still be a while. When did you last eat?" Sister Bernadette asked with a small smile.
"I couldn't stomach tea with Bernie and Belinda, so not since this morning." She replied.
Sister Bernadette shook her head at the response and quickly made a plan, "Why don't I go make some tea and toast for you? You stay in bed and relax between contractions, you will need all your energy later." Rhoda smiled and nodded in agreement and relaxed into her pillow.
They spent the evening talking, mostly Rhoda went on about the antics of baby Belinda. Sister Bernadette did all the steps to get Rhoda prepared, she felt the talking distracted Rhoda from some of the not-so-pleasant aspects. Contractions got closer together and slowly Rhoda became more dilated until they were almost ready for delivery.
"Nine now so not long to go." Sister Bernadette reported with a smile while removing her rubber gloves.
"Oh Sister, I don't know if I can do this." Rhoda reacted with a sob. This sudden change in attitude shocked Sister Bernadette. Rhoda had been so calm throughout this labor, much calmer than with her first. Sister Bernadette sat down on the bed beside her and took her hand before saying "Yes you can Rhoda. Your body has done this before and it will know what to do when it is time." Rhoda immediately started shaking her head no. Then another contraction took hold of her and she cried out in both physical and emotional pain.
"I know my body can do it. But can my heart? I love Belinda so much, how am I going to love another child that much?" Rhoda moaned after the contraction had passed.
"Oh Rhoda, your heart always has room. It learns to grow to fit everyone you love. You will love this child just as much as you love Belinda, you are a wonderful mother and you can do this. You can have this baby and you can love it with all your heart." Sister Bernadette explained, now holding both of Rhoda's hands in hers. She reached up to wipe the tears from Rhoda's eyes then added, "Now are you ready to meet this baby?" To which Rhoda nodded.
Sister Bernadette helped guide Rhoda's son into the world in a perfectly normal birth. As soon as the little boy was in his mother's arms she realized the nun had been right. Just seeing him had brought so much love and joy to her heart but she felt the same about her little girl. Sister Bernadette did all the checks and said that everything was perfect before she went about cleaning everything up.
"Do you have a name picked out for this little one?" Sister Bernadette asked after she finished packing up her medical bag, the patient file still on the dresser.
"Perry Keith, it will be nice and unique, just like me and his sister." She responded with a smile at the newborn baby boy in her arms. Sister Bernadette jotted the name on the patient file before adding it to her bag. She then took her leave, promising to be back around noon to check on them both.
Rhoda was more nervous this time than she had been before. She had delivered Belinda and Perry in the comfort of her own room but this time she had decided to go to Dr. Turner's Maternity Home. It didn't help her nerves that she was quite a bit older this time around, a 9 year gap isn't what she had been expecting. She was also a creature of habit and was wondering if a change in midwife would bring any bad luck. She liked Nurse Mount but she was nowhere near as gentle and friendly as Sister Bernadette was. Oh drat, Mrs. Turner, she corrected herself internally. She had been shocked when she had heard the news of the Sister leaving the order and even more shocked when she had been married the following spring. Everyone had been gossiping that her and Dr. Turner had to have been in a relationship before she stopped being a nun and that they married so quickly because she was in the family way, but no baby came. In fact within the year they had adopted a little girl and she had never seen Sister…ugh… so happy. She had always liked her and was glad she was one of the Poplar ladies now. Out pushing a pram to the market or yelling at the older boy not to play too long outside when she wasn't helping at the Maternity Home. She was glad she had at least seen her yesterday when she first arrived, maybe that counted for something.
Nurse Mount walked into the room full of beds for the mothers and smiled at Rhoda Mullucks who was staring into space with a magazine on her lap.
"Good morning Mrs. Mullucks. I'm here to do an internal exam to see if you are ready to be moved into the delivery room. Once we are in there you can use the gas and air during your contractions." Nurse Mount said with a smile.
Later that day she would be holding Mrs. Turner's hands while she gave birth to her third child. She was glad to see her there and know that the same trusted woman who had been there for Belinda and Perry would be there for this baby too. She didn't know what was to come for her third child, her precious Susan.
Nurse Franklin moved her into the delivery room at the Maternity Home after her labor had been progressing nicely on the ward. She couldn't quite believe that she was here again after last time. It had been 7 years since she had delivered Susan in this exact place. She was also slightly embarrassed to be expecting again at the age of 40. She had hoped this wouldn't happen again after Susan. Her beautiful daughter needed so much help. How was she going to do it? Help Susan and take care of a newborn. She didn't want to sit on the table as Nurse Franklin instructed, all she could think is that she needed this time to be different so she kept pacing.
Dr. Turner came in after a little while to check on her. He reported that she was still progressing nicely and that the baby was in the correct position. She smiled slightly at him but grimaced again when a contraction hit. Nurse Franklin reminded her to breathe through it and all she could think is she wished Mrs. Turner was here instead of the glamorous Nurse Franklin. She knew that a lot of ladies loved Nurse Franklin but Rhoda felt like she needed a friend, someone with children who might be able to relate to what she felt but had yet to say. She had become closer to Mrs. Turner in the past 7 years, especially as her two girls were close in age to Susan and they would play with her without any of the judgment that others seemed to have. She sighed in relief when the contraction ended. Dr. Turner asked how she was doing and Rhoda responded by saying "Don't take this the wrong way but when's Mrs. Turner coming."
A few hours later and after an enlightening conversation about motherhood with Mrs. Turner, Rhoda was starting the second stage of labor. She had refused to lay down on the table so Dr. Turner had pushed forward a chair to use instead. Rhoda was glad he was listening to her requests, as ridiculous as they might have sounded to him. Mrs. Turner was with her, ready to deliver the baby, while Dr. Turner was simply there to cheer her on. She was glad it was the two of them, they had already been there for her family so much with everything Susan had been through. Mrs. Turner helped guide Rhoda's fourth child into the world and Dr. Turner announced it was a boy. Once he was in her arms she immediately checked him to see if he had any of the same impairments as Susan but he didn't. She smiled as she handed the baby over to Dr. Turner so she could focus on the placenta and then told him "I hope you don't think this is a liberty Dr. Turner, but I'd like to call him Patrick." Rhoda smiled. She felt so happy, both for her new baby and for the friendships she had gained.